Improvement in fish-hatching apparatus



E. A. BRACKETT.

FISH-HATCH'ING APPARATUS.

No.1'73 ,Z6Z. I Patented Feb.8,1876,.

NAPETERSI PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON, DC.

v lvrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. BRACKETT, OF WINCHESTER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD OF HIS RIGHT TOFREDERICK CURTIS,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FISH-HATCl-IING APPARATUS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,262, datedFebruary 8,1876 application filed April 17, 1875.

' terior of such case for the purpose of hatching the spawn laid uponsaid reticulated bottom.

My present improvements consist, first, in partially covering the bottomor lower opening of the frame or case by a sloping or obliquely disposedshield or deflector, and disposing at the opposite side of the bottom ofthe case a stop-water or shelf, substantially as hereinafter explained,the stop-water serving to intercept and retard the current of water inwhich the apparatus is submerged, and throw it upward in such a manneras to produce a reverse current backward within the case, and upon orover the sloping deflector before named, from which point the current,thus diverted or reversed, joins, by cohesion with the natural currentbelow, such deflector, and completes the entire circuit of the case orframe, the result being that all the Water within the latter is in astate of lively commotion and circulation, which effectually preventsdeposit of sediment or undue accumulation of spawn in any one place,which would result in sleepy water or an eddy.

My improvements furtherconsist in the employment in an apparatus of thischaracter of ordinary tin or other metal plate, from which to supply thereticulated portion of the bottom of the case, whereby I greatlyeconomize the cost of the apparatus, and prevent the injury due to theabrasion of the eggs, which a rougher surface would entail.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent in Figure 1 aperspective view of my apparatus as inverted, the better to show itsextreme construction, Fig. 2 being a vertical section of said apparatus.

In these drawings, A represents an open frame or case, rectangular ingeneral form,

and having its lower opening partially closed by a sloping plate ordeflector, B, placed obliquely to the horizontal plane of the case, thisdeflector, in the presentinstauce, occupying the entire width, and aboutone-half the length of the case, though this extent may be sion. Uponeach of the four outer corners of the case A, and nearits top, I place aguide or eye, F, and by means of these eyes the case is to be maintainedin its proper position in the water by means of cords run through theeyes and attached to posts or other objects.

The above description embraces substantially the mechanical constructionof my hatching-box but I do not confine myself strictly to the preciseconstruction shown, as this may be varied somewhat without departingfrom the nature and intent of my invention, the novelty in whichconsists, mainly, in the sloping deflector, in combination with asuitable reticulated floor, and the shelf orstop water, or itsequivalent.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The case A is to besubmerged within a current of water, or in sleepy water, according tocircumstances, it being supported by cords run through the eyes F F,850., before named,

and being of sufficient specific gravity to sink in the water to aboutthe depth shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

If the apparatus be placed in running water a portion of the current isintercepted by the shelf, and, impinging against the lower end of neaththe deflector B, and joins with such cureggs are constantly in a stateof gentle agitation and motion, and, as a consequence, are maintainedina bright, clean, and healthy condition second, no sedimentcollects ordeposits itself, and the water is at all times fresh and pure; third,owing to the employment of perforated or foraminous metal plate whereofI to construct the bottom of my case or box, I

obtain a smooth floor, which has no tendency: to abrade or injure theeggs, which frequently results from the use of wire-cloth sieves, whichare now generally used, and, in addition to this merit in the perforatedplate, it is of much less cost than wire-cloth.

I would here remark that while Iprefer the arrangement of the perforatedplate shown in the drawing, yet the vbox or case A, with deflector B andstop-water G, can be used with a hatcher or spawn plate otherwisearranged and employed in connection with said parts,

I am aware that it is not new to employ a box or case provided with areticulated bottomiu which to deposit spawn for hatching, as manyexperiments have been instituted in various countries with such adevice.

I claim l. The box or case A, in combination with a deflector, B, andshelf or stop-water 0, substantially as and for the purposes shown andset forth.

2. The combination, with the case A and the sloping deflector B, of aperforated or foraminous floor or plate, substantially as and forpurposes stated.

3. In combination with the case A the deflector B, shelf C,andperforated floor or plate E, all substantially as and for 'the purposesstated.

E. A. BBAOKETT. Witnesses:

F. CURTIS, W. E. BOARDMAN.

